DACA revisted

By Armand C. Hale

I decided to look up the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program on the Official Website of the Department of Homeland Security. Remember, DACA was an idict from Obama. This action was never legislated by Congress an never signed into law by any president.

Lets start with these items of interest.

* How long does it take to become a citizen after filing the Application for Naturalization (not the DACA program). Here are answers I found.

"In my experience in different States and District offices, it takes anywhere from 3-4 to 6 months form the filing till the Oath ceremony. Of course, it could be longer, especially for someone with past criminal issues, or based on specifics of an individual situation."

"Most offices are reporting 5/7 months for processing with another month for the ceremony

some shorter.... some longer."

"6 to 12 months. It depends on the USCIS Office where you file. A friend in West Virginia just got hers after 5 and 1/2 months from start to finish."

"It depends if there's no problem with your application, you can wait for two years or more to be citizen."

Here are DACA facts from the DHS website

**You may request DACA if you:

1. Were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012;
   
   
2. Came to the United States before reaching your 16th birthday;
   
   
3. Have continuously resided in the United States since June 15, 2007, up to the present time;
   
   
4. Were physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012, and at the time of making your request for consideration of deferred action with USCIS;
   
   
5. Had no lawful status on June 15, 2012;
   
   
6. Are currently in school, have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, have obtained a general education development (GED) certificate, or are an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States; and
   
   
7. Have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor,or three or more other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety.
   

These questions I would like to have answered in response to the above requirements:

1. If you were under the age of 31, did you get here legally or illegally?
   
   
2. If you came to the U.S. before age 16, did you get here legally or illegally?
   
   
3. Been in the U.S. since June 15, 2007. Did you get here legally or illegally?
   
   
4. Did you come here legally or illegally on June 15, 2012?
   
   
5. Is having no lawful status on June 15, 2012 the result of being here legally or illegally?
   
   
6. When you got here did you file an N-400, Application for Naturalization? If no, why not?
   
   
7. If you got here illegally you're guilty of breaking "Title 8 Section 1325 of the U.S. Code, "Improper Entry by Alien," a felony.
   

All of you DACA folks. You are smart. Some of you are studying to be doctors, lawyers, businessmen, nurses. You fill out forms for school and grants to get money for education. Some of you now hold the professions you studied for.

Why after getting into this country have you failed to file the first and most important document of your lives, the N-400, Application for Naturalization?

What are you waiting for?

Do you just want the benifits, not the citizenship?

Do you not want to be an American?

Do you still claim allegiance to your other country?

Give me an answer. (JMJ)

Sources:

* https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100106155008AAHyeMx

** https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/consideration-deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca

© Armand C. Hale